Farmers in Cuddalore, Madurai, Trichy, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu registered a strong protest on 26 January against the centre’s continued “indifferent” attitude towards their demand of revoking the farm laws.
Farmers belonging to the All India Farmers’ Protest Coordination Committee (AIFPCC), on Tuesday, took out a procession with buffaloes in Kattumannarkovil in Cuddalore.
Like Cuddalore, farmers all over the state had initially planned to take out a procession of tractors on Republic Day to express solidarity with the agitating farmers in New Delhi. However, the farmers were denied police permission.
People in Coimbatore rode on bikes and cycles with tricolour flags and placards with slogans condemning the state government for supporting the Centre.
Members of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in Coimbatore carried a coffin made out of banana leaves, bamboo trees and vegetables, symbolising that the farm laws do not safeguard the farmers’ interests.
There are widespread farmer protest in the country against the three Acts — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.
Ten round of talks between the farmer groups and the central government failed to reach any conclusion or make any significant headway.
The President gave his assent on 27 September to the three bills that were earlier passed by the Parliament.
Over 100 women belonging to SDPI marched in Coimbatore in support of the farmers, holding tricolour flags, raising slogans, “Modi government is bad for this country. The centre doesn’t care for farmers, who are the reason we live.”
“We were stopped from riding on tractors. So we brought all our tools -- motors, sickle, vegetables. You could stop our vehicles, but we brought everything we use to make the grains for the people of this country,” said Palanisamy, President of the CPI Farmers Association.
“We are disappointed to see the central government has not factored in the welfare of the farmers. We wish Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami hears our protest and speaks up for the farmers,” he added.
Farmers from Tamil Nadu also expressed online solidarity with fellow farmers from Punjab and Haryana, with the hashtag #Madrasis4Punjabis.
Opposition leader MK Stalin had asked the ruling government to pass a resolution against the farm laws in the Assembly, as the Kerala and Punjab state governments have done.
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